It seems that twice a month, on the first and last Tuesday of each month,  the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History presents a new show especially targeted toward a very special audience – one that truly loves astronomy and appreciates learning about new discoveries in the field. Lily and I really had a wonderful time at the Hayden Planetarium last week.

The one hour show,  The Farthest Reaches of the Cosmic Ocean with Jason Kendall, which began at 6:30, focused on bigness.  Jason Kendall is “an ambassador of NASA”  and he was expertly knowledgeable and a charming narrator. In the Planetarium’s first show after it’s renovation, Tom Hanks show narrated the wonder of the super small morphing into the small, morphing into the visible, morphing into big, then super big and then utterly colossally big, all in one program.

This show, however, by intention and design, completely ignored the micro, and guided us into the universe of the macro.  We started out examining our own planet and moon, then quickly zoomed out to the inner planets, then further out to the outer planets, then further out till the sun shrank to the size of the other points of light we call stars, then further zoomed out to constellations, then further out to the limits of our galaxy, the Milky Way, then further out to nearby galaxies, then to farther galaxies, then to a universe of galaxies, to the horizon of our vision and knowledge.

Jason Kendall skillfully narrated and projected the astronomical images, speeding us through space, light-years and time, all the way back to 13-½ billion years ago, to the point of the Big Bang.  Throughout the presentation, the stars on the dome zoomed further and further away from us, some stars speeding as fast as a racing locomotive, others passing by more slowly.

The effect was that of 3-D without the need for Red/Green glasses.  It was an astounding production. It was visually glorious.

The audience, consisted of people of all ages – even children, and seemed especially sophisticated. In the Q and A period, they asked keen and challenging questions. One such challenge was: “If the Big Bang occurred 13 ½ billion years ago, then what was there 14 billion years ago? Could it not have been a previous universe imploding upon itself, crushing all its matter into a single point which then exploded into the current universe, with this expansion and contraction having been happening for all of time?”  The answers were similarly challenging: “There was no 14 billion years ago.  All space and all time started 13 ½ billion years ago.” The narrator suggested that the questioner google “Chaotic Inflation” for a deeper analysis of that proposition.

In its former incarnation, the old Hayden Planetarium building was like a second home for me when I was a member of its Junior Astronomers Club.  I remember the awe of their shows in which we took imaginary voyages to the planets. In the Voyage to Mars, the red planet loomed larger and larger inside the dome, giving the effect of we in the audience falling faster and faster toward the surface of the fourth planet of our solar system.  Likewise, other shows featured similar trips to Jupiter and Saturn.

In short, the new Hayden Planetarium takes us even further, indeed, fulfilling my hopeful vision for it – that of exciting the imagination and opening up a world of possibilities and ideas. We are all the richer for it.

Jeff French Segall

Guest Author

Come hear award-winning teen writers read their newest pieces;

The award-winning teen writers and rising stars of Writopia Lab will read excerpts from their newest prose at Barnes & Noble at 82nd Street and Broadway on Thursday February, 4th at 5pm.

This remarkable group of young people have revised and polished stunning pieces of fiction and memoir, and they are thrilled to share their work with you.

Buy Books and B & N Will Make a Donation to Writopia Lab

Also, please hold off on any book purchases you’re about to make–when you buy books the night of the reading (at that location), 10% of the purchase price will be donated to Writopia!

Just make sure to tell the cashier you’re buying books as part of the Writopia Lab book fair.

Travel through the  the COSMIC OCEAN at the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater at the AMNH with their program: Virtual Universe: The Farthest Reaches of the Cosmic Ocean with Jason Kendall.

The museum says that this is the  world’s largest cosmic atlas, and that we can cruise through intergalactic space, and explore the immense distances between galaxies,  learning about the universe and how it has changed with time. We New Yorkers will just have to accept that the program begins and ends in the Himalayas and not in Manhattan.

Virtual Universe, travels through our solar system and beyond in live, interactive programs that include question-and-answer on the first Tuesday of each month.

A preview is available on YouTube.  Some of the viewers comments on YouTube following the Virtual Universe video are so inane and weird that they seem to map the inner  infinity of the universe of human strangeness, you may enjoy those too.

Tuesday, February 2, 6:30 pm, $15 Adults $13.50 Members, students, seniors

The bloggers who came to be in the audience do not seem to be a political or edgy bunch but are very domestic: mom’s who write about motherhood, grandmothers about their grandchildren, and urban gardening. Many say they hope to promote their blogs, and others hope to receive gifts.

I heard no politicos or discussion about what a blog is, or the effect of blogs on news and society…not in the audience nor on stage.

We were welcomed and treated very cordially, as guests, and it was really fun to attend this show.

The atmosphere  is a very special and refined small slice of mild living. A welcome one hour vacation  from the current reality of terrible world news and problems.

Martha carefully crafted with focus: gluing “left-over” yarn onto decorations…but there is nothing left-over about the show. It is fascinating to watch this relaxed, successful, pleasant woman promote her enterprises.

After the show, and off-camera, Martha took several questions from the audience. Very nice.

A perfectly frosted and sliced piece of cake has been served!

And we all enjoyed it.

Thank you, Martha. You are a perfect host.

GothamGirl  is fortunate to receive many invitations, most are to film festivals, concerts, art openings, museum shows and restaurants. Recently we were surprised by an invitation from The Martha Stewart show asking us to join the audience  on January 14 in New York City.

The topic is bloggers and blogging, and they have requested that all of the invited bloggers come ready to blog live during the broadcast. This sounded like just too much fun to pass up and I will be there on Thursday all ready to blog live.

Rebecca-Wallace Segall, the founder and director of WritopiaLab will be there as well. The WritopiaLab’s blog is excellent: it is the spectacular work of the young writers of WritopiaLab. Rebecca is the  Scholastic Golden Apple National Award winner (2008 and 2009).

It seems to be film festival season. Don’t mix this festival up with the NY Jewish Film Festival (see previous posts),  the Sephardic festival is the only  annual film festival in America devoted solely to the rich and colorful stories, customs and culture of Sephardic Jewry. Thirteen films, including three American and seven New York premieres will be shown. Also, there are talk backs with directors scheduled.

We always enjoy this festival, especial the variety of countries encountered, the music in the films, Sephardim in the audience greeting each other with warm smiles, and the variety of languages, this year: English, Hebrew, Ladino, Amharic, French, Japanese, Bulgarian, Moraccan, Spanish, etc …Yiddish….. ok, ok,  probably not Yiddish. But some of us are “Ashke-Phardic ” and enjoy all of the possibilities.

Please see The Sephardic Film for screening details and tickets.

Sponsored by the  American Sephardi Federation/Sephardic House (ASF) and Yeshiva University Museum. Supported by the Consulate General of Israel in New York. Here is their schedule at a glance.

This sounds like much more fun than the usual movies and Chinese food for Christmas! The Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street (in the Eldridge Street Synagogue), Between Canal & Division Streets is having this fun family concert. This is also a good opportunity to visit this restored, historic building, it is truly stunning.

Sing, dance, learn Yiddish and “get married” at our annual family concert. Clarinetist Greg Wall and his band Klezmerfest lead the audience on a musical tour of Eastern European Jewish culture. The program ends with an audience-enacted shtetle wedding with children taking on the roles of bride, groom and wedding guests.

$12 adults; $8 students and seniors

RSVP to: hgriff(at)eldridgestreet.org or call 212.219.0888 x 205

The Museum at Eldridge Street presents the culture, history and traditions of the great wave of Jewish immigrants to the Lower East Side drawing parallels with the diverse cultural communities that have settled in America. The Museum at Eldridge Street is located within the Eldridge Street Synagogue, which opened its doors in 1887

GothamGirl received this invitation from the The Interfaith Assembly, the West -Side Campaign Against Hunger, New York Cares and Lauren Flanigan and Stars from the Metropolitan  Opera and the New York City Opera and we recommend that you attend and bring a donation as suggested.

Symphony Space Marque

Comfort Ye – the Fifteenth Annual Concert to Benefit the Homeless

Monday, December 21, 2009

7:30 PM

Peter J.  Sharp Theater

Symphony Space

95^th Street & Broadway

Admission:

5 or more cans of food items or 1 clean used overcoat or 1 clean blanket or

5 packages infant/toddler diapers or Cash Donation of $40

All funds raised will  benefit the Interfaith Assembly and their programs. If you have attended this concert in the past you know what a treat it is. If you have not, you owe it to yourself to come – You will not be disappointed.  And BE SURE TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDS – they will surely thank you!

During these difficult times, the Assembly and their partners are working hard to help those who have been homeless to rebuild their lives, and establish more  equitable public policies for those in our city who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. See their webite for more details on the work they do and about this event.

http://www.iahh.org/events/comfort-ye-2009

This is a performance of Handel’s Messiah, not a sing-along, and the soloists, chorus and musicians made it all truly worthwhile. The countertenor, Daniel Taylor was stunning, a clear beautiful voice with such clear diction that one could understand the words as they were sung. The Bass is a singer originally from China with just one name, Shenyang , and he was excellent as was the James Taylor (not THAT tenor named James Taylor, silly), the soprano, Annette Dasch was very fine. We all loved the trumpets featuring Philip Smith, one of our favorite NY Phil musicians. The chorus is the Gachinger Kantorei Stuttgart and they were an excellent chorus, blending as one voice and forming clear sectional parts.  This runs through Saturday, December 19, 2009.

It is most interesting to examine the text of the oratorio, just like a cut and paste, a line from here and a line from there from Isaiah, the psalms, and the Christian bible, which has been interpreted and arranged  to “tell”  the story of  the nativity, suffering  and crucifixion.  How different these lines sound when they are sung or chanted in Hebrew with the traditional Jewish cantilation. There are no trumpets in my synagogue.

And then there is the question of whether the audience should stand, supposedly as did the King of England for reasons unknown, or should remain seated for the splendid Hallelujah chorus. I sat, my friend was the first in the audience to stand.

There are so many seasonal music events in New York City and last week we were at  another holiday concert: A Twisted Christmas at the Nokia theater on Times Square, by our favorite metal band, Twisted Sister. This was a lot, lot, lot of fun.  They performed old and new songs and their metal versions of Christmas songs, and the stage show was a riot. This is not at all the Radio City version of Christmas. They have done a Christmas show each year for the last four or five years. Look for it next year.

It is tremendous fun to take in a wide sample of musical styles, so break out of your rut and see something very different.

The annual balloon inflation for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts this afternoon on the Upper West Side. It is an Upper west Side street party which starts off this holiday weekend.

Starting at about 2 pm, (officially at 6 pm) you can watch the big balloons being inflated by hard working, good spirited crews from Macy’s on  West 81s St, and West 77th St  between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, and Central Park West in front of the American Museum of Natural History.. . This goes on through the evening and attracts loads of people of all ages.

The delicious Spiderman balloon and a few others have been inflated on 77th Street and small groups are there enjoying the event at this  time…(3 pm), crowds will come later.

Various street vendors add to the atmosphere, and don’t forget to walk by the New York Historical Society on CPW and 77 th Street. In the past, they have had people dressed in early American period costumes and hot cider. I do not know if they will do this tonight.

Please remember that you can see just about nothing if you try to drive by and peer out of your car windows- you would be adding to the street congestion and not make the kiddies happy at all. Park somewhere else and walk around, there will be plenty to see and do.. and please see last year’s entry for more details and photos.

Also, stop in at the local restaurants up and down Columbus Avenue, all are family friendly tonight.

And  in case you are visiting America for the first time in this season and did not know: Thanksgiving is the holiday most celebrated by the largest number of Americans.

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving.

Each year the Park West 90th Street Park Association  organizes a lovely, welcoming event for children and adults who would love to enjoy seeing the kids have a great time.

West 90th Street between CentralPark West and Columbus Avenue will be filled with spooky decorations, glowing carved pumpkins on brownstone stoops, lighted displays, and a welcome table in front of #35. The residents of the block , many in costume, give out candy in front of the buildings. A few lobbies welcome trick or treat visitors inside as well.

This  has the wonderful, old-fashioned spirit of a child’s Halloween party and attracts many, many neighborhood families. It is  also a lovely display of the variety of families who live on the Upper West Side.

Many of the doggies on the block turn out in costume as well. Please remember: do not let the dogs eat chocolate. These are the same dogs who take part in the West 90th Street Dog Parade during the clean-up/planting party each Spring.

The street will be closed to traffic at 4 pm. Residents will decorate the block from that time on and  from 5:30 to 7pm  the goblins etc are welcome.

In case you missed this news, on August 18, 2009, Central Park was it by an intense storm with of winds up to 80 miles per hour.

This short,  intense event damaged about 1000 trees north of 90th Street, and 400 hundred trees were completely lost. The oldest tree which was removed  was 159 years old and the tallest was 100 feet tall.

The Central Park Conservancy says that, “Many of the trees removed were among the tallest, largest, and finest specimens in Central Park.”  Their site has many photos and details about the storm.

Now is the time to step up and help restore our well-loved park by volunteering and /or donating.

We must do our part now so that  future generations will have a lovely park, just as we enjoy today.

Please see the Central Park Conservancy site for more details and photos about the storm, the damage, and to learn about volunteering/donation.

The current exhibit of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies at the Museum of Modern Art fills  one small gallery with the lucious color, light and the timelessness of Monet’s masterpieces.  It will run from September 13 through April 12, 2010. There are two triptics of the waterlilies and four smaller paintings. This is the entire group of the museum’s collection of his late paintings, exhibited togther for the first time, plus two which are on loan.

Take your time to look at these so that they can unfold to you, and look at them from different angles to appreciate the light play across the paint surface. This gallery feels like a chapel to Monet and to  the art of painting.  No matter how many times I see these paintings they are always fresh and new.

Try to take your time and really see them even if the exhibit gets crowded and check out the MoMA website for tips on visiting the museum.

Sculptor Carole Eisner’s nine monumental works,  made from twisted and curved steel, will be on view in the Broadway malls from 64th to 166th Streets from September 9 through December 8 2009.

To view the Installation Map, and locate where you can see these please go to:

 http://www.susaneleyfineart.com/index.php?globalnav=exhibitions&sectionnav=broadway_mall

Remember to call the toll-free number while you are viewing the scultures and  listen to artist recordings, describing the sculptures.

The Susan Eley Gallery, our most favorite uptown gallery, is a sponsor of this exhibit.  Kudos to Susie for bringing this to the malls on Broadway!

This show is made possible by Broadway Mall Association, in conjunction with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and Susan Eley Fine Art.

Euripides’ complex and disturbing ancient play, The Bacchae,  about disrupting the so-called “natural” order in society, personal delusion vs reality,  and the consequences is produced movingly by the Public Theatre in Central Park as the second play for this season of  “Shakespeare in the Park”.

The score is by Philip Glass and  the play is given its bone-chilling, gripping life by a spectacular women’s chorus.  The score and chorus would be reason enough to see the play, and there is a very fine cast and production, as well. Try not to miss this production.

As a reminder if you haven’t read your classics in a while, the Bacchae are women who have entered a state of ecstasy and delusion by following the charismatic, seductive, handsome, pitiless, vengeful, god Dionysus. They destroy society by leaving their so-called natural subservient place in society and going up into the mountains for the “worship” of Dionysus: that is Bacchanalia which are orgies with hideous and murderous details. This is quite something for a summer play in the park.    

Do not miss the excellent notes and explanations in the Playbill about the  Bacchae, Euripides and His Times, and the Royal House of  Thebes, which will make you very appreciative that you are not a relative of the Royal House of  Thebes expected at up-coming  holiday dinners.

We left the park discussing the production and the complex issues raised by the play itself. There is plenty for all points of  view to discuss. That is the mark of a terrific production.

We saw this last night, in the open air of the Delacorte Theater, and as the actors invoked Dionysus, the god of Thunder, we were surrounded by nature’s spectacular lightning and  an approaching intense summer thunder storm.  The audience remained gripped by the play and left the park quickly due to the impending weather. Shortly after the end of the play, this storm hit Manhattan with terrific force, even toppling mature trees  into the streets as on West 88th St,  throwing branches onto the streets, sidewalks and cars,  sent cafe chairs sliding up Columbus Avenue,  and wrecked awnings around the Upper West Side.     

How to get your FREE TICKETS: arrive early in the day and wait on line (BTW: New Yorkers wait “on line”, it is a localism, the rest of you wait “in line”).  Seniors  65 and above have their own line, and there is now a Virtual Line. See the Public’s website for full details.

As Elie Wiesel the novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize for Peace winner was honored at the final event of the Zamir Choral Festival 2009, and he did much more than merely accept  an award of recognition from the Zamir Choral - he stood on the stage and sang alone.

He sang a few niggunim from his hometown of Sighet to the 450 participants in the Festival.

The participants had learned these niggunim during the festival and then sang with him in four part harmony. It was very moving to hear him sing, and then to sing together…it was an emotional musical bridge from the Europe of the past to the Jewish community of the present  in America.

He stayed afterwards and very graciously shook people’s hands and accepted their good wishes and thanks. It felt like a visit from a respected, beloved, close relative.

Dr Ruth Westheimer had arrived at the Festival and was honored as well.

Dear tiny dynamo Dr Ruth, is now a film-maker and had her new film about Bedouin women with her; her ongoing creativity is an inspiration.

There are many so many ways to be a witness.

The Festival was an exciting and fulfilling experience: so many fine musically talented and knowledgeable people, such all-over good spirit, excellent workshops and classes, late night jam sessions,  schmoozing laughter-filled meals with new and old friends, and wonderful choral concerts!

At one late night jam, the terrifically talented singer, Magda Fishman, sang and played the trumpet(!) with 2 guitars, a piano and several flutes. Fun!

We returned home happily exhausted and would attend again next year.

We drove up the  NY State Thruway through the Hudson Valley to the Catskill Mountains on this glorious, sunny day…finally the month of rains has ended. We have arrived at the Hudson Valley Resort for the 20th annual Zamir Choral Festival, July 12-16.

The mountains are glorious, we drove past  the Mohonk Mountain Preserve with it’s rough ridge; it has a wall of stone like the Palisades. At the foot of the ridge, we stopped and watched rock climbers getting ready to ascend the cliffs.

But our destination is the Zamir Choral Festival and here the rooms, hallways and dining room are all filled with truly fine music, and nice company.

The entire atmosphere is lovely. If you are reading this because you are considering attending a future Zamir Choral Festival, I would encourage you to attend. See their site  for program specifics.

The resort is run by very helpful and pleasant staff, the pools are lovely, and the rooms are pleasant and very adequate.

We met participants who have come from, Australia, Toronto, Milwaukee, and from the greater New York City area. Nice mix of people, different ages and life-styles. I think that there are about 450 participants, not sure.

I attended a class given by Velvel Pasternak of  Tara Music on the history of Jewish music which was absolutely fun and excellent. He is a great authority on Jewish music and funny story-teller.

Tonight we will attened a choral concert.

More on the specifics later…I want to take another walk around the grounds and through the shuk of vendors with my doggie who has come along.

Yes, this resort is both pet-friendly and it is people friendly.

Very unusual.

I just can’t get enough of that Golem. The many forms, retellings and spin-off s are always fascinating. 

In the best known version of  legend, The Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Judah Loew, created a living man out of clay with the intention that this creature would protect the Jews of Prague from anti-Semitic attacks.

Things get quite out of hand with this golem just going much too far, and The Maharal has to find a way to kill this creature he created. This story is very moving and works on all  levels, both the allegorical and literal.  Many plays and stories have been based on the Golem, or are a re-telling of the story. Frankenstein’s Monster and  Supermanand other super-heroes owe a great deal of their lineage to The Golem.

The idea of a golem has an extremely long history in Jewish culture:  it  is a living,  human-like creature but lacks a soul, it is always made of clay by a  holy man and implies a good deal of hubris in imitating the divine creation. It always gets out of hand. In some versions, the creator of the golem must write on the forehead of the golemor written place notes inside of its mouth to get it under control or to even kill the  wild,  out of control Golem! 

 Golem Stories is a staged retelling of the golem story by on  May 27, 2009 at the Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th St, at 7pm, followed by a discussion of Jewish legends and midrash. This evening is free but you must register in advance.

While on the CJH site check out their cabaret night called Cities of Light scheduled for June 10 at 6:30pm.

Both of these evening are part of the  Untitled Theater Company’s  Festival of Jewish Theater and Ideas May 20 through June 14. They will have over 100 performances at many venues throughout the city.

What insensitivity, ignorance, complete stupidity and incompetence was demonstrated by the federal government in yesterday’s fly-over lower Manhattan by Air Force One and 2 fighter jets. If you missed this, it caused upset and even panic in the  towers of lower Manhattan and in near-by New Jersey as office workers fled their offices, assuming that another attack was under way. The reason given for this  insensitive stupidity was that it was an Photo-op for a shot of AF1 and the Statue of Liberty.

Did you notice that the people in the towers did not wait for “instructions” but fled on their own after seeing/hearing/feeling the effect of the low-flying jet? This area has been hit repeatedly by terrorists- not just once on 9/11, and the people feel that it is up to themselves to get out in order to be protected..that should be clear. Also, it s important to understand that Manhattan air traffic NEVER includes such low-flying aircraft which rattle the windows  of tall towers and rattles nerves.

What disdain the Federal government demonstrated when they said that the public was not informed for security reasons.

I know, this happened yesterday and it is “over”.

The Government apologized. The Mayor spoke out for the City saying that he was not informed, pretty remarkable if so, and that he was furious.

OK,  OK, but to tell you the truth:

Apology Not Really Totally Accepted. Along with an apology, the people in the agency who planned and approved this stupid stunt should come to lower Manhattan for a visit and some sensitivity training. Start by speaking to the people in the area that have experienced 2 attacks.

The New York Pops, which is the symphony orchestra that plays music from the Great American Songbook at the sweetest sounding of all places one can go to listen to music, perhaps anywhere, Carnegie Hall, is hosting their Annual Gala on Monday, April 27th. Proceeds support The New York Pops and its education programs and free Summermusic concerts throughout New York City.

In Carnegie Hall, each seat is a great seat for listening to music, never worry about where you are sitting. Just soak up the music! Idina Menzel will be among those performing and the new musical director Steven Reineke will be conducting.  

New York Pops “26^th Birthday Gala”, Monday, April 27, 2009
7:00 PM at Carnegie Hall, Tickets available from $55 – $85

Contact the Carnegie Hall BoxOffice  and remember that GothamGirl readers will receive a 20% discount by entering the code PLAY7861

There is also a Black Tie Dinner/Dance to follow at The Pierre and an online Auction  onCharityBuzz.com.

Each year there are many worthwhile events to mark Yom ha-Shoa, Holocaust Rememberance Day, this year on April 20-21, 2009. Here are some of those events:

RESISTANCE THROUGH ART
“Sixty years ago we performed this opera [Brundibar] at Terezin.  Only a few of us survived.  But when we were performing Brundibar, we forgot where we were, we forgot all our troubles.  Music was part of our resistance against the Nazis.  Music, art, good teachers, and friends mean survival.”    –Ela Weissberger, member of the original cast

Congregation Ansche Chesed’s Yom Hashoah program will be dedicated to the incredible phenomenon of Resistance through Art and will feature music created and performed in Theresienstadt concentration camp. 

Featuring live performances of chamber music by Gideon Klein, a Czech pianist and composer of classical music, teacher and organizer of cultural life in Terezin, as well as an excerpt from the children’s opera “Brundibar” by Hans Krasa, originally performed by the children in Terezin, and now sung by the children of Ansche Chesed. 

There will also be an opportunity to learn and sing songs of the ghetto and resistance together as a community.   While much of this music did not survive, the remaining pieces impress listeners to this day and make us long for more of what might have been written.

Monday Evening, April 20 at Congregation Ansche Chesed 100th St, West End and Broadway

This year we are reading from Memorial to the Jews Deported from France 1942-1944 by Serge Klarsfeld. This extraordinary volume is organized by the date of the “convoys” which transported Jews from France to the camps in the east.  This year the all-night reading will take place at Congregation Shaare Zedek, 93rd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.

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HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY: SAVIORS ON THE SCREEN
The JCC honors Yom HaShoah with a special marathon of films remembering the righteous saviors of Jews during the Holocaust. Co-sponsored by the Raoul Wallenberg Foundation and The Simon Wiesenthal Center.

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And my friend, Ernie Adams, has had his book published! You have the opportunity to meet him, hear his moving story and experience his warmth and humor.

From Ghetto to Ghetto: An African American Journey to Judaism
A Memoir by Ernest Adams
From Harlem to the south to the Upper West Side, Ernest Adams’ new book is a fascinating memoir that delves into race and religion in America today.
Thu, Apr 30  Meet the Author Talk: 6:30 pm; Reception and Book Signing: 7:30 pm FREE

 JCC of Manhattan. 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue

The strange day,  Wednesday April 8, 2009: Many groups of people joined together for the once every 28 year Blessing of the Sun. The weather in New york cooperated, and sun was seen rising over some clouds which were on the horizon, into a mostly clear sky. Very lovely. There were many morning services, blessings and study sessions held. Lots of singing and dancing too throughout the city. Friends agreed that this was worth getting out at 6:30 am for. Here is the April 8, 2009, sunrise over Mount Sinai…Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC, that is.

Sunrise April 8, 2009 Blessing of the Sun

Then came the snow. Yes, the SNOW, an unpredicted snow squall which whited out the city if you were on a high floor. Just as suddenly, the weather cleared up and it was quite nice again in plenty of time for guests to arrive at the Passover Seders.

Passover is a full moon holiday- that is-  there is always a full moon at the first Seder. Here is a photo of the Passover Full Moon in New York City that evening:

Full Moon Passover 2009

As I write this on April 10, the work and pleasure of the Seders is over. Leftovers are lurking in the fridge. We  read this morning, that for the very first time,  there was a Passover Seder held at the White House! Nice surprise. And now people have moved on to seriously discussing Matzah Brei. Here is a recipe for Banana Matzah Brei from ProfeJeff:

ProfeJeff’s Recipe for Banana Matza Brei:
 
1) Take about 4-5 sheets of matza and break them along the natural fault lines.

Each piece should be about three or four fault lines wide and be about 1/3 to 1/2 the length of a matza.

2) Break them into a large bowl filled about 1/3 of the way with lukewarm water.

3) Soak them for at least a minute. Be sure they’re completely soaked and soft. Then holding the matza with one hand, pour the water out.  Press the matza gently to squeeze out the excess water.

4) Into the matza pour 4-6 eggs that you have already completely mixed so that the yolks and whites are thoroughly mixed. (For a lower cholesterol version, use 4 eggs and 2/3 cup of liquid egg whites; this serves 4).  With a fork, pick up the slices of matza so that both sides of every piece are infused with the eggs!

5) To this mixture add two thoroughly mashed bananas. Stir the mixture together. Pour this mixture into a hot, well-oiled pan. Let it sit and fry for less than a minute. Then Flip. Cook 2 minutes. If using a smaller diameter pan, flip once more, let sit, and flip yet one more time.  Serve with cinnamon. If you want it even sweeter, add maple syrup to your portion.  Best by test!

Editors note: This is delicious and ProfeJeff can speak about 9 languages in addition making Matzah Brei!

And before you need to ask, here is the answer: Passover is 8 days when observed outside of Israel and 7 days within Israel. It is the custom not to eat bread etc, for the legnth of the holiday.  IN NYC, Pizza , Asian food, bread etc again after dark on April 16, 2009.

Enjoy.

The Blessing of the Sun, Birchat haChama, is celebrated only once every 28 years, which means that it is an event that is experienced only a few times in anyone’s lifetime! This year it will be marked on the morning of April 8, 2009.  The sun will rise at 6:28 DST in New York City.

It is an opportunity for expressing appreciation at the beauty and wonder of the world. It is also an opportunity to think back 28 years (if you can) and forward 28 years (may you have many more), and try for some special perspective.

Also, if you give this a little thought and planning, you may be able to have a quick breakfast with friends before the start of Passover that evening.  The service can start anytime within 3 hours after sunrise but many are planning to meet at sunrise, which is much more dramatic than starting at say, 9 am.

In New York City,  people have arranged to meet and have the Birchat HaChama service in many places including: at the observation deck of the Empire State Building, the roof of the  Manhattan JCC, and on the rooftop of many congregations of all and every type, other buildings and in the Central Park Band Shell.

This desire to get hundreds of feet closer to the sun expresses the New Yorkers love of tall buildings, unique events, as well as loving an opportunity to step outside of their daily routine. The weather prediction is for a chilly and mostly sunny morning. Ok, the weather forecast said partly cloudy, but I am an optimist. Bring your hot coffee or tea. If you need any more details, write  to me.

Some notes about Passover: I have heard 2 complaints about preparing for Passover on the Upper West Side: the high price of foods that are always Kosher for Passover being jacked up higher for the holiday shopping for no understandable reason other than to perhaps feed the ugly monster of greed. The other complaint is how crowded their favorite stores become at this time, especially Fairway -which is always very crowded before any holiday of any type- even before Groundhogs Day. These are the same complaints we all hear each year.

Remember to give donations to the local food pantries, and fulfil the mitzvah of feeding the hungry. The pantries are very low on supplies this year- there are more people in need. They welcome cash, but food is appreciated too.

Instead of burning your Chametz, why not scatter the crumbs for the birds returning on their Spring migration. They may eat chametz any time.

Chag Pesach Sameach= Have a Happy Passover

We walked by the Mannes School of Music on West 85th Street, as the sky was darkening and glowing that beautiful electric blue, and were drawn right inside by the sound of lovely music. We skipped our dinner plans and instead enjoyed a concert by the students of Susan Woodruff Versage who were performing an Evening  of Opera Excerpts. Ms Versage accompanied them on piano.

These students have splendid voices, great talent and were lively performers with the beautiful grace of youth. Exerpts from 13 operas were performed. This was a true pleasure.

There is so much excellent free music available in New York, it would be  smart to check out all of the music schools performance schedules and select some free concerts in these difficult financial times.

Don’t let the financial downturn limit the pleasures of music and art. It is probably just what you need to better cope with the present times.

Here are some schools and others ideas to check out:
The Julliard School of Music, The Mannes School, The NY Philharmonic Open Rehearsals, The Manhattan School of Music. Remember, the Metropolitan Museum of Art still has a pay-what-you-wish entrance policy.

From  Ars Choralis:

In the darkest times, music provides solace and illustrates what is best in the human spirit.

During the depths of World War II, Jewish women musicians incarcerated at the Auschwitz/Birchenau concentration camp were required to play for their Nazi captors. This is a story about how music saved the lives of those women. It is also the story of a small-town chorus that has brought back the music, hope, grief and resilience of these women.

Over one million people, mostly Jewish, were murdered in Birkenau gas chambers.  In exchange for their survival, a women’s orchestra was formed by the S.S. at Birchenau.  During the year and a half it existed, 54 women participated in the orchestra.  All but the conductor survived.

Two years ago, Barbara Pickhardt, conductor of the Woodstock, NY chorus, Ars Choralis, researched survivor’s memoirs and created Music in Desperate Times: Remembering the Women’s Orchestra of Birkenau.  The concert interwove orchestral music of Schumann, Chopin, Puccini, Mendelssohn and others, with spoken memoirs and songs of hope, peace and resistance sung by the chorus.

Wearing the simple lavender scarves and white blouses worn by the Birchenau musicians, the members of the reconstructed orchestra felt a shiver of connection to the original orchestra as they played arrangements of the same music played in the camps.

Ars Choralis performed Music in Desperate Times: Remembering the Women’s Orchestra of Birchenau to great acclaim in Hudson Valley churches, colleges and synagogues. The audience response was so powerful that repeat performances were demanded. Now Ars Choralis has been invited to perform this concert at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan and in Germany.

• The performance of Music in Desperate Times at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine will be on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8 PM.  This landmark church is the largest Anglican Cathedral in North America.

If you have never visited this cathedral, or perhaps any other cathedral, it is quite a place to see and I would recommend setting aside some time to look through this vast and fascinating space.

• Survivors of the Ravensbrück concentration camp in Furstenberg, Germany have invited Ars Choralis to perform at their annual Liberation Day ceremonies on April 18 and 19, 2009 on the grounds of the camp.

• Heilig Kreuz Passion Church in Berlin has invited Ars Choralis to perform Music in Desperate Times on Friday, April 17, 2009.

The cost of producing the concerts and traveling to Germany is unprecedented for Ars Choralis.  We hope to gain support for this magnificent endeavor through ticket sales and donations.  

Tickets to the March 28th performance at the Cathedral are:

• $45.00 front section, reserved seats
• $35.00 front section, unreserved
• $25.00 general seating

Many  thanks to Rochelle Saidel of the Remember the Women Institute for bringing this concert to our attention.